Preschool (Page 3)

Wee Disciples Preschool Update

Wee Disciples Preschool is not in session for the rest of the 2019-20 school year due to the Governor of Illinois mandate to Shelter at Home and not return to school. The Wee Disciples Preschool Committee and staff are so disappointed to not have our students back in the classroom in May, but the safety and health of our Trinity and Wee Disciples Preschool family is our utmost concern at all times. The Wee Disciples Preschool Director/Teacher, Karen Rohrer, has stayed in contact with families throughout the past month and will contine to until the end of May. Here is a list of what Karen has been up to in April:

  1. Participating in Zoom Chats with individual students and their families
  2. Facetime chats with students who do not have Zoom
  3. Weekly whole class group meetings through Zoom
  4. Homework activities emailed to families each week day and posted on the website and Facebook
  5. Video’s sent to students via text

The plan is to continue these activities into May and also conduct a Drive-by Hello to students, set up a time for families to come a pick up student belongings, and possibly a preschool reunion in June or July if the social distancing is lifted.

May is a time of endings and the start of new beginnings. As we come to an end of the 2019-20 school year, I want to congratulate our Wee Disciples students who are moving on to Kindergarten in the Fall. Katelynn, Elliot, Matthew, Tobin, Tom, Josephine, Caleb, Samantha, Valerie, and Austin, we are so proud of how you have grown at Wee Disciples Preschool. We will also miss Jason and James who are moving on to other preschool programs in the Fall.   Several students, August, Toby, Theodore, Rhiannon, Leila, Lucas and Lydia will return for another year with us in the 2020-21 school year. Our long time Teaching Assistant, Karen Ross, is stepping down from her position in May. She is moving on to new challenges as a substitute Teaching Assistant in Urbana District 116 schools. Mrs. Ross has been such an asset to our preschool program for 10 years. Please pray for her success and happiness. Julie Elsts will be taking over Karen Ross’ position next school year. We are so grateful for her continued commitment to our program.

Please continue to keep Wee Disciples Preschool in your prayers over the next few months as we navigate through this challenging time.

Learning the Letter V

Let’s learn about the Letter V today.
1.  What does the letter V look like?  Show your child the uppercase and lowercase V.   Talk about the differences and similarities.
2.  What sound does V make?   I like to sing a song with the students:
    V says /v/.
    V says /v/.
    Every letter makes a sound.
    V says /v/.
3.  Show the V page (Click here for V coloring page) with objects that start with the letter v…van,vase,etc.   Talk about more words/objects that start with V.
4.  Color the V objects on the coloring page or challenge your child to draw a picture of something that starts with V.
5.  Search for items around your house that begin with V.
6.  Play a game where everyone takes a turn stating a new V word.  The game is over when someone repeats an V word already stated.
7.  Practice tracing and writing the letter V. (click here for V Tracing page)
8.  We have one student whose name starts with V..Valerie. Can you think of any other names that start with V?
Extension activities….
Practice writing words that start with V.
Make a V Book…each page is an object that starts with V.
Read a book about something that starts with V like a volcano book.
Try to find the letter V in the newspaper, a magazine, a book or while you are on a walk…I Spy the letter V
Try making a V with ojbects…put rocks in place to make a V, use sticks to make a V,  use Pretzels to make a V
Have fun with the letter V today!

Learning the letter U

Let’s learn about the Letter U today.
1.  What does the letter U u look like?  Show your child the uppercase and lowercase U.   Talk about the differences and similarities.
2.  What sound does U make?  U makes 2 sounds the short U sound like uncle and up, and the long U sound like unicorn and universe.   I like to sing a song with the students:
    U says /u/(long like unicorn)
    U says /u/(short like up).
    Every letter makes a sound.
    U says /u/(long) and /u/(short).
3.  Talk about words/objects that start with U.  Show pictures of objects that start with U.
4.  Color U objects on a coloring page or challenge your child to draw a picture of something that starts with U.
5.  Search for items around your house that begin with U.
6.  Play a game where everyone takes a turn stating a new U word.  The game is over when someone repeats an U word already stated.
7.  Practice tracing and writing the letter U. 
Extension activities….
Practice writing words that start with U.
Make a U Book…each page is an object that starts with U.
Read a book about something that starts with U like a unicorn book or book with an umbrella.
Try to find the letter U in the newspaper, a magazine, a book or while you are on a walk…I Spy the letter U
Try making a U with ojbects…put rocks,legos, etc in place to make a U, use sticks to make a U, etc

 

Have fun with the letter U today!

Learning the letter Tt

Let’s learn about the Letter T today.
1.  What does the letter T look like?  Show your child the uppercase and lowercase T.   Talk about the differences and similarities.
2.  What sound does T make?   I like to sing a song with the students:
    T says /t/.
    T says /t/.
    Every letter makes a sound.
    T says /t/.
3.  Show the attached T page(Click here for a T Coloring Page) with objects that start with the letter T…truck, table, turtle, etc.   Talk about more words/objects that start with T.
4.  Color the T objects on the coloring page or challenge your child to draw a picture of something that starts with T.
5.  Search for items around your house that begin with T.
6.  Play a game where everyone takes a turn stating a new T word.  The game is over when someone repeats an T word already stated.
7.  Practice tracing and writing the letter T.(Click here for T Tracing Page)
8.  We have many students whose name starts with T…Tobin, Tom, Toby, and Theodore, and Elliot, August, Austin, Matthew, Samantha, and Katelynn have a t in their name.
     Can you think of any other names that start with T?    Can you think of any other names that have the T sound in the middle or end of the name?
Extension activities….
Practice writing words that start with T.
Make a T Book…each page is an object that starts with T.
Read a book about something that starts with T like a turtle book or tiger book.
Try to find the letter T in the newspaper, a magazine, a book or while you are on a walk…I Spy the letter T
Watch a show like Daniel Tiger and talk about how Tiger starts with T.
Try making a T with ojbects…put rocks in place to make a T, use sticks to make a T,  use a Pretzel to make a T
Have fun with the letter T today!

Happy Earth Day–April 22

Today is Earth Day.   Let’s celebrate together by appreciating and taking care of the Earth.   Here are some ideas of activities to do with you child to celebrate.

  1. Spend time outdoors
  2. Plant something
  3. Pick up trash
  4. Recycle–paper, plastic, cardboard
  5. Create Art from Recycled Material
  6. Use refillable water bottles
  7. Pray:  Thank you,God, for creating the Earth!
  8. (Click here for an Earth Coloring Sheet)

Happy Earth Day!

 

Letter S Fun!

At Wee Disciples we learn about a new letter each week. Before “Sheltering at Home” we had made it to the letter R. This week and next we will have activities each day to focus on the letters of the alphabet we did not yet cover.

Let’s learn about the Letter S today.
 
1. What does the letter S look like? Show your child the uppercase and lowercase S. Talk about the differences and similarities.
2. What sound does S make? I like to sing a song with the students:
S says /s/ ssssss.
S says /s/ ssssss.
Every letter makes a sound.
S says /s/ sssss.
 
3. Show your child objects that start with the letter s….snail, shoe, ship, sheep, etc. Can your child think of other words/objects that start with S?
4. Color the S objects on a S coloring page or challenge your child to draw a picture of something that starts with S.
5. Search for items around your house that begin with S.
6. Play a game where everyone takes a turn stating a new S word/object. The game is over when someone repeats an S word/object already stated.
7. Practice tracing and writing the letter S s.
 
Extension activities….
Practice writing words that start with S.
Make a S Book…each page is an object that starts with S.
Read a book about something that starts with S like a snake book or sheep book.
Try to find the letter s in the newspaper, a magazine, a book or while you are on a walk…I Spy the letter S
 
Have fun with the letter S today!

Science Fun–Grow a Bean

Grow a Bean Experiment
What you will need:   a lima, kidney or navy bean (or any bean seed from a seed packet), a quart sized ziplock bag, cotton balls or paper towels, water, window, tape
1.  Soak the bean of your choice in water overnight to stimulate the growing process.
        a.  Pull open one of the soaked seeds to see the inside of the seed.   Below is a picture of the parts of a seed.
2.  Dip a few cotton balls or a paper towel in water and place it in the ziplock bag.
3.  Drop 2-3 soaked beans into the bag on top of the soaked cotton balls/paper towel.
4.  Seal the bag.
5.  Hang the bag with tape in a sunny window.
6.  Observe each day to see if the beans are growing.
7.  Keep track of when you started the experiment and when the bean starts to sprout roots and leaves.   How long does it take?
8.  When the bean plant has roots, stem and leaves, try replanting the bean sprout in soil.
Inline image
Have fun with Science…growing a bean!

Science Fun with Motion

Today, lets explore motion with our preschoolers.   Motion is the movement from one place to another.  Force is what causes an object to move.   Force can push or pull an object in a certain direction.  Force can cause on object to change directions and move faster.
Getting started:
Take a piece of wood, wooden block, or piece of cardboard and create a ramp by placing one end on blocks, books, or another object and the other end on the floor.   
 
1.  Gather a small selection of items to see if they roll down the ramp or do not roll down the ramp.   example:  a block does not roll down the ramp…a matchbox car does roll.   
 
2.  Try rolling balls or cars of different sizes down the ramp.   Which rolled faster…bigger balls or smaller balls?   
 
3.  Place tape, foam, a placemat, material, or bubble wrap, etc on the ramp …does this slow the roll of objects down the ramp or speed the object up.   
 
4.  Try making the ramp different angles…for example try 3 blocks and then 6 blocks.   Does the ramp height cause the objects to go slower or faster? 
 
6.  Make more than one ramp and try to race objects down the ramps.   
 
7.  What happens if you push an object down the ramp instead of letting it roll on its own?
 
8.  If your child is having lots of fun with the ramp, try using a paper towel tube or wrapping paper tube with a marble at different heights and make observations.   
 
Have fun with Science!    

Science Fun–Rubber Egg & Candy Experiments

With all our Easter Fun over the past weekend, try an egg and candy experiment today.

You will need 1 raw egg, some vinegar and a jar.

  1. Place an egg in a jar and cover it with vinegar. (Add color to the vinegar for colored rubber eggs too)
  2. Wait 24 hours, then drain and refill the jar with vinegar.  Set aside and wait for 7 days. Notice the bubbles on the eggshell?   This is the acid in the vinegar reacting to the calcium carbonate in the egg shell.   This reaction produces a gas called Carbon Dioxide.
  3. After 7 days, remove the egg and rinse it off.   You may need to remove a brown layer of scum from the egg.   It will easily wash away.   The Hard outer shell is gone and the egg white and yolk are surrounded by a thin membrane.
  4. Observe the egg:   What does it feel like?   What does it smell like?   What does it look like?                                                         (Be careful because the egg can still break open)
  5. Take a flash light and shine it thru the egg…can you see the egg yolk?
  6. How high will the egg bounce?     Try dropping the egg from various heights.
  7. After you are all done with your observations, try breaking the egg to see what is inside?
Another fun experiment to try after Easter is a Skittles Candy Experiment.
You will need a white plate or bowl, some Skittles, and water
    1.  Arrange the Skittles on your plate/bowl in a pattern placed in a circle on the outer edge of the plate/bowl.
    2.  Gently begin pouring water in the center of the plate/bowl until the water reaches the Skittles and barely covers them.
    3.  Observe what happens to the Skittles over time.  Give your child a chance to see, smell and listen to what is happening. Talk about what is happening.
    4.  Have your child color a picture of the plate/bowl with Skittles to record the results.
    5.  To further the fun try different types of candy like M & M’s or jelly beans.   Try using cold and warm water.  Try using different liquids.

Have fun with Science!

Science-Sink or Float

Today try a sink or float experiment with your preschooler to teach him/her about density, buoyancy, observation and prediction.    
 
You will need:
-a plastic tub, container, or bowl (even the kitchen sink or bathtub could be used). 
-Items such as small toys, blocks and small household items. (Suggest items of various materials…wood, metal, plastic, etc.)
-Sink or Float Experiment Sheet
-Pencil
 
 
Directions: 
1.  Fill the container with water.   (Adding food coloring to the water or a little Kool-Aid mix to color the water for added fun.)
2.  Talk with your child about the meaning of sink and float.    Sink means the object moves to the bottom of the water container.   Float means that the object stays on the surface of the water.   (If an object is very dense it will sink to the bottom of the container….if an object is byoyant it will float at the surface of the water)
 
3.  Have your child choose an item for the experiement and ask them to predict if the item will sink or float.   Record the prediction on the Sink or Float experiment sheet attached below.    
 
4.  Then place the item in the container/water and see if his/her prediction is correct.    Record your observations on the experiment sheet.  
 
As an extension to this activity try finding a video or article on the computer about Why objects float? or Why objects sink?   
Give your child a straw to blow the objects around in the water.   
Have your child try to make a “boat” to hold items that sink or use a small boat that your have.   How many objects does it take to sink the boat?     
 
Have fun with science!